Connecting the Local to Global
On Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
Black people are disproportionably affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic globally, a consequence of the racial discrimination that still exists in our world today. In Washington, D.C., capital of the richest country in the world, the rates of HIV - - 1 out of 20 residents - - are rates comparable to parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Melodi, a campus organizer from Advocates for Youth and student in the district, asked the important question, “Why?” and demanded answers.
As the Women's Initiative HIV/AIDS Task Force Director, Melodi organized a panel discussion on Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, because she believes that accurate and comprehensive sexual education could help stop the AIDS epidemic in the black community in the United States and abroad.
Lesley, a native Jamaican and a member of the International Youth Leadership Council at Advocates for Youth, spoke on the panel and addressed her belief that the disproportionate HIV/AIDS rates among Blacks worldwide is not a coincidence. It is the direct result of racism and politics.
Lesley said, “It is our responsibility to fully acknowledge the intersection of racism, politics and HIV whenever we speak about ending this disease. And it is our responsibility to push the richest country in the world - - America - - to do more. We must demand that the American government increase its financial commitment to fight global AIDS. We must demand that the American government abandon its ideological abstinence-until-marriage HIV prevention strategies and instead adopt science-based, proven prevention programs. The most vulnerable citizens - - young people, women and girls, and cultural minorities - - are not being properly educated about HIV. Without accurate that includes best practices, any HIV/AIDS prevention policy is doomed to fail.”
In addition, she said that "I personally like grassroots efforts in informing people, but I also believe in policy change," Lesley said. "If we don't change policy, there's only so far you can go - - it's like a firewall."
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